


Still in the Air

by orphan_account



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Air Force, Fluff, Freewood - Freeform, M/M, RageHappy, Ryvin, air force au, mechanic!michael, pilot AU, pilot!gavin, pilot!jack, pilot!lindsay, pilot!ray, pilot!ryan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-18
Updated: 2014-06-18
Packaged: 2018-02-05 03:57:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1804432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Freewood AU where Gavin and Ryan are both pilots for the air force and during a routine flight test, Ryan’s radio frizzed out so he missed the call that they could loop around and come back. Twenty minutes later, they finally contact him to frantically ask where he is to which he replies “Um… I’m still in the air.” And he’s so confused as to why they sound worried and since that day, it’s a common joke to ask Ryan if he’s “still in the air”, much to his chagrin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Still in the Air

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I had this idea randomly while laughing over the still in the air joke and then spent a good hour looking up air force lingo and then another good hour researching drills and terms and shit just to make this one big joke so ayy!

It was a typical air FASO, a simple drill to test some not-so-simple moves on the elite squad that manned some of the fastest fighter jets in the Air Force. Captain Ryan Haywood was the CAG, flying in front of the other neatly-organized playmates, or members in the same practice.  
  
The radio crackled for a moment, seemingly cutting out, before his commander's voice spit through loud and clear. "Captain, there's a bandit coming towards you. Take a sharp bat turn to the left. Over." He ordered and Ryan grinned. Of course there wasn't a real threat heading their way, but for the sake of the drill they'd have to pretend they were in a hop.  
  
"Yes sir! Over." He returned respectfully before flipping a switch and relaying the message to the others. As he did a sharp 180, he caught site of his dash-two and partner, Gavin. The British man had been transferred to them after being deemed a high drift-factor, something that made him incredibly undesirable. In fact, Ryan had tried his best to avoid the younger man at all costs, looking down on him; that is, of course, until Commander Burns had instructed him to whip the kid into shape, pairing them together with every opportunity that presented itself. It hadn't taken long to beat the bad attitude and cocky demeanor out of him, and it was an even shorter amount of time before they found themselves falling for one another. Luckily, his squad had been completely accepting of their relationship and life carried on.  
  
Another message echoed through calling for a quick jink to the right and the sudden action found Gavin's air craft snuggled up under Ryan's, his wing only feet away from the captain's.  
  
"Gavin, I know we're in a section, but you gotta back up. Over." Ryan smirked, laughing at the snippy retort he received from his boyfriend.  
  
"The maneuver called for some close proximity,  _captain_." He emphasized the term and Ryan snorted.  
  
"C'mon, guys. Not on the public radio. Over." Ray's unmistakable voice groaned through, followed by Jack's laughter.  
  
"Yeah, if you're gonna b------- lea----roo------. ---er." The radio portraying Geoff's sleepy voice cut in and out and Ryan fiddled with the dials, frowning.  
  
"What was that, Alpha Three? Over." He asked, receiving no reply, and grimaced. "I'm looking for contact." He ordered, and there was a brief pause.  
  
"Contact, contact. Over." Gavin's voice finally broke through and Ryan sighed his relief.  
  
"Alright, team. We're going to keep heading straight until the Commander orders us to come back. Good job back there. Over." He relaxed at that, sinking back into his chair as he admired the view. They were high above most clouds, occasionally going through one, and the blanket of fluffy white below him was tinged with the soft oranges and pinks of an evening sun. He was home up there and felt almost among the Gods as he lazily drifted through the open air. Of course he enjoyed being with his squad, but he relished the peaceful moments he had to himself and this was certainly no exception.  
  
When he got back on the ground, he'd head to dinner with the guys, maybe have Michael check out his radio, considering how much the mechanic loved fixing the jets most, and sneak in some cuddle time (and possibly something heavier) with Gavin before heading off to bed. The thought only added to his blissful state and it was several minutes before he noticed the warm hues of the sky had given way to heavier shades of purples. He wondered for a second when he'd be called back because, honestly, it was going to get hard to see soon if they weren't careful, and they hadn't brought all the necessary equipment for night flying.  
  
"Cap-------the------co----." His radio hissing in his ear made him jump slightly and he made a face before responding.  
  
"What was that, Commander? Over."  
  
"Captai--- Where are you?" The voice sounded urgent and he cocked an eyebrow, confused by the tone.  
  
"Um... I'm still in the air."   
  
\--------  
  
"Return to base. Over and out." The call had come only two minutes after Ryan warned it would, and Gavin happily looped around with food on the mind. When he landed, however, he was immediately confronted with Commander Sorola, looking grumpy as ever.  
  
"Where's Captain Haywood?" He questioned and Gavin's brow furrowed.  
  
"Wasn't he with us? I thought he'd landed." This only made Gus look more worried which, in turn, frightened the Brit. He followed the higher rank into a radio room where Burnie was continuously trying to connect to no avail, the emptiness of no reply settling heavily in Gavin's stomach.  
  
"What's wrong?" He asked, peeking over the equipment, and squawked when he was swatted away.  
  
"No joy. We can't make a radio connection, and we aren't sure if it's because if something's gone wrong or if it's just a bad radio." Burnie responded absently, flipping a few switches; he only realized his error in word choice, however, when he looked over to see Gavin, pale and terrified.  
  
"W-what do you mean something's gone wrong?" The Brit had zero-d in on the particular phrase, a million scenarios running through his mind that all ended in the death of his lover. Gus stared pointedly at Burnie and the commander immediately backtracked.  
  
"No, no! I mean, something minor. I'm, uh, I'm sure he's fine. I mean, I can't actually be  _sure_ , but I'm pretty positi...ve...." He trailed off sheepishly at the glare he was getting from Gus, his words doing nothing to reassure the youngest man.  
  
"Don't get beaded up, Gav. I bet he's okay. Probably just unknowingly flying around, waiting to get called back." Gus butted in, patting the slender man on his back, and Gavin nodded weakly.  
  
What if they were wrong? What if Ryan was fighting for his life in the ocean, or crashed on an island, or... dead? Gavin tried to push the painful word from his mind but it clung to each thought and memory like a sticky disease, infecting his reasoning and sending his body into complete panic. His heart pumped in his chest almost painfully hard and he began to hyperventilate, barely aware of the hands that led him to sit in a nearby chair.  
  
He thought he could hear Michael muttering soothing words to him, but every sound was muffled as his mind whispered their own words of loneliness and despair. He blinked rapidly, tears streaming down his face in hot, bitter streaks. What would he do without Ryan? Could he even handle a world without the man he loved? He couldn't think about that, not now, not until it was certain.  
  
He was squeezing someone's hand hard, though he wasn't sure when the hand was put there, and his greenish eyes stared blankly at the flashing lights around him as sobs escaped his lips.  
  
"I'm still in the air." The crackled words broke through and Gavin shot up, dropping the hand in his as he recognized Ryan's voice immediately.  
  
"Still in the-I know that, you idiot. I mean what are your coordinates? Get us up to snuff, Captain!" Burnie's annoyed yet relieved voice were next and they brought a wave of relief with them. Gavin moved closer as Ryan answered him, giggling nervously.  
  
"Do you have enough fuel to make it back? Say your state." Gus interrupted next, and he had to repeat the question again before he received an answer.  
  
"State zero plus five zero to splash. I'm almost near bingo, but I'll make it back without a problem."  
  
"Feet wet or dry?"  
  
"Wet, sir."  
  
"Well then, you better get your ass back here, Cap. Gavin's up on the governor down here."   
  
"Am not!" Gavin pouted, but his eyes were still wet, and his crossed arms only made it look like he was throwing a tantrum even more. Ryan's laughter could be heard from the other side and it sent a warmth through Gavin's body, like a familiar blanket fresh from the dryer.  
  
"I'm turning back right now. Over and out." Gavin could have cried again but he settled for wrapping Burnie in a huge hug, the older man patting his back comfortingly.  
  
"Okay, okay. Let's go to the landing dock to greet him, shall we?" Gavin nodded, wiping his face messily, and he snorted at the face Michael made at him once they arrived.  
  
"I swear to fucking God, you guys fuck something up in those jets every three days. Do you know what a bitch it is to replace radios? Ryan better fucking hope it's an easy fix." The mechanic grunted, but his lips quirked when Gavin shouldered him playfully. "Hey, I told you it'd be okay." His voice softened, and Gavin returned the smile.  
  
"Yeah, I guess I kinda went crazy there for a second."  
  
"Nah, I get it, man. Every time Lindsay goes up with you guys, I feel this little bit of panic inside me, y'know? I always think 'what if this is the time she doesn't come back?', right? I'm always down here. It's a totally different world up there, and she loves what she does, but it doesn't stop the worry. I imagine it's easier if you're up there with them, huh?" He questioned, turning his eyes away from the sky to focus back on the younger man, and Gavin swallowed hard.  
  
"I.. uh, not really, honestly. It's about the same. You're  _there_ , with the danger and the malfunctions, and any wrong move could kill not only you, but your section, too. It's... it's stressful, and I used to think it was meaningless, that I was infallible, but now I have something to take care of. Now... Now, it's not just about me." Gavin squinted into the darkness, sighing to himself when he saw the outline of an aircraft. Michael squeezed his shoulder knowingly, nodding once, and the Brit raced ahead to meet Ryan as he landed.  
  
\--------  
  
He was surprised to see the crowd waiting for him when he finally landed, but was quick to point out the only face that mattered.  
  
Ryan grinned when he exited the jet, carefully removing his helmet just before he was ambushed by the gangling body of his British boyfriend.  
  
"Gavin!" He laughed, feeling himself being tugged. "Give me a second, would ya?" Gavin turned to him, his face serious and wet with tears, and the captain sobered immediately, willingly allowing himself to be pulled away. Nobody tried to stop them, and Ryan wondered just what he'd missed while in the air.  
  
He was pushed roughly against the wall once they were around the corner and felt Gavin's lips connect with his before he could even question what was going on. The younger man fisted his fingers into Ryan's helmet-mussed hair, tugging on it as he kissed him as hard as he could, not caring when their teeth clicked together.  
  
"G-Gav..." Ryan tried to get out, but he could feel the young man shaking in his arms, the fresh tears wetting both of their faces, and he didn't know any words that could help so he kissed back instead. Their tongues mingled together, experimenting as if this was their first time and only breaking apart when the occasional hiccup or cry escaped the smaller man.  
  
Gavin seemed to be pushing as close as he could to Ryan, a feat that was made harder than usual by their bulky uniforms, but Ryan wrapped his arms around his partner's waist and pulled him in, soft lips against soft lips, and he felt his own sapphire eyes become wet with the intensity of it all.  
  
"P-please, n-never again." Gavin finally muttered between kisses, his voice broken and wavering and so  _sad_  that Ryan couldn't even begin to handle the emotions it brought him. "Please, please, please."  
  
"I promise, Gav. Never again." Ryan murmured, moving to nip at the younger's neck, and he meant it; he never wanted to see Gavin hurting so bad again, and he would do anything to keep it away. "I promise." Gavin pulled Ryan's face back to him with shaky hands, capturing his lips once more, and the kiss was sloppy yet so incredibly  _perfect_ , leaving both of them breathless and half between giggling and crying once they'd calmed down enough to separate.  
  
Gavin rested his head on Ryan's shoulder, weaving their hands together. "I was so afraid I'd lost you." He admitted, barely above a whisper, and the words seemed to punch Ryan right in the heart.  
  
"You're never going to lose me, Gavin." He rubbed the Brit's back with his free hand, kneading soothing circles into the tense muscle.  
  
"Not ever."  
  
\--------  
  
"Hey, Haywood!" The call was ignored by the couple, the older rolling his eyes, but the caller was persistent.  
  
"C'mon, Haywood!" Geoff's voice was low and teasing, and he raced ahead of them to turn and face Ryan.   
  
"What do you want, Ramsey?" He already knew, of course. He'd been dealing with the same joke nearly every day since the incident four months prior.  
  
"I was just wondering how you were doing. Y'know, if you were..." He trialed off, grinning as Jack, Ray, and Lindsay suddenly swooped in, arms extended like planes.  
  
"HE'S STILL IN THE AIR!" They called together, dissolving into laughter, and even Gavin couldn't help but giggle. Ryan playfully glared at him and the Brit scrunched up his face, sticking his tongue out. He squealed, however, when Ryan tickled his sides before turning to the others.  
  
"Man, you guys are just so hilarious." He deadpanned as they made little engine noises. "Seriously, that joke will never get old. Still sooooo funny."  
  
"Don't be mad, Haywood. You'd think you'd be happier, up there in the clouds and all."  
  
"God dammit."  
  
"Hey..." Gavin leaned in to whisper in Ryan's ear, grinning. "How about we go back to your room and I'll show you cloud nine?"   
  
Ryan's face lit up at this and he smirked at the others as he passed them. "Later, squad. I've got a date in the air."

**Author's Note:**

> Loved this shit? Hated it more than your nOTP? tell me why, tell me where i fucked up, i wanna hear it all! leave me comments and/or kudos, reading comments good and bad really brighten up my shitty little day ;)
> 
> Good artist? Bad artist? Never drawn? Make fanart anyways! I will cry. But happily. But I will seriously cry.


End file.
